YES YES YES!!! This book checked all of my boxes. I read it over three days, and I WISHED I could have curled up on a Saturday and read it all in one piece. This book deserves your uninterrupted attention – that’s how good it was.
Under Currents by Nora Roberts
Under Currents
by Nora Roberts

For both Zane and Darby, their small town roots hold a terrible secret. Now, decades later, they’ve come together to build a new life. But will the past set them free or pull them under?
Zane Bigelow grew up in a beautiful, perfectly kept house in North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains. Strangers―and even Zane’s own aunt across the lake―see his parents as a successful surgeon and his stylish wife, making appearances at their children’s ballet recitals and baseball games. Only Zane and his sister know the truth, until one brutal night finally reveals cracks in the facade, and Zane escapes for college without a thought of looking back…
Years later, Zane returns to his hometown determined to reconnect with the place and people that mean so much to him, despite the painful memories. As he resumes life in the colorful town, he meets a gifted landscape artist named Darby, who is on the run from ghosts of her own.
Together they will have to teach each other what it means to face the past, and stand up for the ones they love.
Under Currents by Nora Roberts
my thoughts
FIRST OF ALL, AT 17% I ALREADY TEARED UP.
The book was a motional powerhouse, well written, and as always very well plotted, Under Currents was one of my favorite Nora Roberts books to date.
Different than other books, the deeply developed characters carried the entire story. They were through the roof and awesome in every sense. The author took the time, and built a backstory that wove throughout the entire book. It wove in and out, until it all came full circle and was much more than expected.
Under currents – literally all the small things that bubble under the surface, hard to see until they explode and bring the ugliness to the foreground and for everyone to see.
WHAT I LOVED ABOUT THIS BOOK WAS NUMEROUS.
I loved how much time Zane and Darby had as a couple. It’s not often that a relationship is getting enough time to really establish itself. Half of the book was all about Zane and Darby, their relationship, and their connections with his family and the Lakeview community – I loved it all.
Some of the side plots really surprised me by the way they were resolved. I was Half of the book was all about Zane and Darby, their relationship, and their connections with his family and the Lakeview community – I loved it all. I was always wondering what was to come next – this is not all, more is coming. It really kept me on the edge of my seat.
Zane and Darby were fantastic together. Their trust in each other, to accept the other’s independence, to support and build each other up – it truly was the heart and soul of the entire novel. They were a couple that worked for me from beginning to end. I’m a big lover of banter, well written dialogues, sarcasm and quick retorts – and this book had it all.
Also the community, and especially Zane’s family, their friends and the supporting cast was exceptional. I loved them ALL!!! If these kind of small towns really existed in real life I would be moving STAT!
THE UNDERLYING MESSAGE WAS POWERFUL, IMPORTANT, AND NEVER GETS OLD.
Abuse in any way, verbally, emotionally or physically is just not ok, and this book covers it all. It’s heartbreaking at times, but there is always a hopeful and uplifting message right along. The entire plot was beautifully crafted. From the suspenseful to the emotional – Under Currents had it all.
A true winner if you ask me, and one of her best one yet.
5 stars
FIND THIS BOOK ON GOODREADS AND AMAZON
Under Currents by Nora Roberts
I am sad to say that I have never read a Nora Roberts book, but this one sounds amazing. I love the idea of well developed characters!
Fantastic review xo
There are so many authors out there. I often think how come I haven’t read this author or that. There aren’t enough hours in a day for me to read them all. Under Currents is a great way to start with NR, same as with last year’s Shelter in Place. The author has taken up some amazing topics, touching, current, they’ve become unputdownable. Let me know if you ever give her books a chance. xoxo
Oh I definitely think I’ll be picking them up! Just need to make the time, I have so many books on my TBR and I genuinely don’t know when I’m going to make the time to get through them all as it is. But I’ll find a way especially as more great books get brought out! xoxo
I think we are all struggling with this. Too many books, and not enough time. 😀
Happy reading!!!
If only they put more hours in the day. Either that or I need to win the lottery and quick working so I can read all day!
This one is on my TBR list and I may have to move it to the top. Great review.
It’s SO GOOD!!! A beautiful story, but also a topic that might trigger some. But the overall story about Zane and Darby, their family and community was fantastic. I hope you’ll enjoy it as much as I did. 😀
I’m so glad you loved this one! I sadly couldn’t make it through that first part when Zane was a child. It triggered my anxiety terribly and had to put it down 🙁 I’m hoping to come back to this when I can handle the subject matter though! Everyone has absolutely loved this book!
I’m so sorry!! I can’t even imagine how you must have felt. It’s such a tough subject, and it made me tear up too. I applaud the author for taking up such an important topic, but feel for everyone that has a hard time with it. It’s such a great story, but I understand if it’s just not the right book for you. Maybe later.